Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-08-06
THE COMMON SCHOOLS, OUR Ma
TONS STRONG DEFENSE.

1uey are buc EAAetC dhN ohS Soy -
this free government. They are one
of its chief corner-stones.
We can not place too high an esti-
mate upon our colleges, seminaries
ETC., too much money cannot be APP
propriated to increase their facilities
for educational work-to widen their
sphere of usefulness; but, if we were
required to make choice between
them and our common schools these
institutions of higher grade had bet
ter be given up than the latter They
directly reach the few, our common
schools the many. They usually
take the talent that has been partly
developed the common schools take
the talent either in embryo or bur
ried, and bring it to light or devel-
OPP it. The Colleges and Universe
ties require, in order to receive their
benefits, an expenditure of money
that many cannot furnish. The com
mon school is the university of the
people. with its benefits, as far as
they go, freely given to aItthe chdt-
dren and youth of the land Happi-
lv, however, there is no conflict be-
tween our common school system
and our educational institutions of
highest grade, but there is such an
agreement between them that they
are mutually helpful
"A Again, this is government of the
people, by the people and for the
people, and as the people are the
source of all authority, the makers
and the maintainers of our laws,
electing men to office simply to serve
as their agents in executing their
will the character of the govern
ment, both state and national, will
depend in all the years to come, up
on the intelligence and morality Of
this great army that is passing from
year to year through the drill of the
common schools. Our teachers are
now training the millions of voters,
land, doubtless some of the officials
of both state and nation who Will
place officers in power, for the first
half of the twentieth century. And
as we hear the tramp of the little
feet of these coming millions, may
we not Justly conclude that the sec
ular and religious education of this
vast and increasing army is the most
important problem before the State,
and Nation. We have no room in
oar country, broad as it is, for idle,
indolent people.
This span of life was lent,
For lofty duties, not for idleness
Not to be whiled away with aimless
dreams,
But to improve ourselves and serve
mankind
The call to activity is a bugle
blast, and must be needed. 1t might
have been done years ago to keep
step with the music of "Old Lang
Syne,n but we are now called to
march with double quick step, or
fall out of rank. The children of our
public schools have no chance to be
idle, thus forming the habits of in
,dustry, and preparing them for the
active duty of life. In a government
like ours, where the people rule, it is
necessary that all the citizens should
know the difference between license
and liberty. Many who have come
to our free country from nations
where they have felt the hand of OPP
preston in the rebound from tyran-
ny to liberty, have sprung in to I'M
restrained license as in the case of
the Hay Market" riot in Chicago.
Now the youth of our country need
to be taught the lesson that the very
foundation ofliberty in government
is respect for the right OF others,
and a rigid obedience to wholesome
laws that have been enacted for the
good of all. There is no place in all
this land where the lessons of obedi-
ence to law, respect for those in au-
tbority, and regard for the equal
lights of others, are so constantly
ard successfully taught as in the pub
lie school room. The school is a
community in itself, where the pu-
pills are the citizens and the teacher
is the appointed ruling officer. Now
when we take in view all the princi-
pies and rules governing both teach
ers and pupils in our common schools,
when we remember what deep i'm
pressions are made upon youthful
minds, with this thorough drill extend
ing through term of years we can
read the future of our nation, its
perpetuity, its stability, its vanity.
Thus we see that we can not place
too high an estimate upon our COM
mon school system, which is to fur
nish the material that is to shape the
destiny of the future. From its por-